NHTSA complaint #11758949

Owner complaint summary

The exact failed component has not yet been identified. The malfunction appeared to involve the vehicle’s electrical, communication/network, ignition or starting system. The vehicle and its components remain available for inspection upon request. On Friday, August 21, 2026, while driving my 2019 RAM 1500 Classic Tradesman with approximately 108,320 miles, the vehicle’s electronics suddenly began behaving erratically. As I braked and slowed nearly to a stop, the engine shut off. Parts of the dashboard remained illuminated, but the engine would not crank or restart. After approximately one minute, the electronics returned to normal and the vehicle started again. The truck then operated for the remainder of the drive. This created a safety risk because the vehicle shut off unexpectedly while it was still moving and temporarily could not be restarted. A similar electrical shutdown occurred on February 13, 2026, when the displays flashed, the HVAC cycled, vehicle power was lost and the key became stuck. The vehicle restarted after approximately five to ten minutes during that incident. The current problem has not yet been reproduced, confirmed or diagnosed by a dealer or independent service center. To the best of my knowledge, it has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, an insurance representative or another organization. There was no advance warning before the electronics began malfunctioning during the August incident. The erratic electronics were the first symptom immediately before the shutdown. The dashboard remained partially illuminated during the no-crank period, but I do not recall the exact warning messages or lamps displayed. The vehicle’s VIN currently shows zero unrepaired safety recalls in NHTSA’s lookup.